Mallory Park in the '60s

Maurice Bruton has given me a series of photos he took at Mallory Park in the early 1960s which are additional to the ones already posted on the Mallory Wednesdays thread. Travelling by train to Hinkley and then by bus to the circuit, Maurice's expenses did not stretch to a programme, and thus he cannot identify either the meetings or the cars pictured. They are all before my time, and hopefully TNFers will enjoy identifying them. Please bear with me as there are 101 images to post, some better than others but all of some historical significance.......

This looks like the 1961 Le Mans Sprite Coupe "1411WD" Originally driven by Paul Hawkins and JohnColgate. It was later raced by Mike Garton (who shared the driving with Paul Hughes) at the 1965 Brands hatch 1000-mile race. Mike sold it to David Courderoy who raced it at club events. So it's likely to be Mike Garton or David Courderoy driving.

That struck me too. Even in the 70's & 80s, meetings were much better attended. These days, even with the 'professional' organisation & luxurious spectator conditions, things are so formulaic & the racing so bland, it's hard to find the enthusiasm to watch any more & there are so many more other attractions. Makes you realize what a relatively few number we are to keep persevering.

It was raced by Jack Sears in the '50s (and famously crashed by him in front of Bauble and Eric Dunsdon at Silverstone). In the 4CNO thread there's a link to the Graham Gauld biography of Sears which says that after Sears sold it the car had many owners, including Frank Elliott and Peter Jackson who both raced the car extensively, so it could be one of them seen in it it here.

The problem with these posts is that I get frustrated when I can't identify cars I feel I should know. Sports-racers #25 and #108 please. (#108 has an Aston DB3S -style grille but otherwise looks odd). Any ideas?

The problem with these posts is that I get frustrated when I can't identify cars I feel I should know. Sports-racers #25 and #108 please. (#108 has an Aston DB3S -style grille but otherwise looks odd). Any ideas?

The problem with these posts is that I get frustrated when I can't identify cars I feel I should know. Sports-racers #25 and #108 please. (#108 has an Aston DB3S -style grille but otherwise looks odd). Any ideas?

I think #25 is the Attila Climax, presumably Roy Pierpoint

I was beaten to #108 which is a Cooper Bristol rebodied by Peels in Aston style.

I recognise it as chassis 2514 later raced by Neil Corner and Tom Rose.

The apparent lack of a race number suggests that the car was not actually competing when this photo was taken. At the Brands Easter Monday meeting in 1964 John Spero's Maserati 250F was given a demonstration run with Richard Attwood at the wheel. A bit of a long-shot, but could this be a follow up demo at the Whit Sunday meeting in 1964? No mention of it in the Autosport report though.

This looks like the 1961 Le Mans Sprite Coupe "1411WD" Originally driven by Paul Hawkins and JohnColgate. It was later raced by Mike Garton (who shared the driving with Paul Hughes) at the 1965 Brands hatch 1000-mile race. Mike sold it to David Courderoy who raced it at club events. So it's likely to be Mike Garton or David Courderoy driving.